Improvement in baby-carriages



c. H. MMDGN.

Baby-Carriages.

Patented Jan. 7, 1873..

AM H1010 -LITH05RAPHIC co. 1v. mos-Burma's mums,

onARL S H. IAMIDON, or MILLERS FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

IM PROVEWIENT IN BABY-CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,623, dated January 7,1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. AMIDON,

of Millers Falls, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Baby-Garriages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawing, in which--- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a babycarriage having my improvements attached; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the stop-plate detached; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ratchet-plate detached; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the ratchet and stop plates in position; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, showin g the manner of constructing the seat and Fig. 6 is an elevation, showing the pivoted axle; and Fig. 7 shows a modified construction of joint.

The object of my invention is to provide an infants carriage with handles that are pivoted to its sides, and in such a manner that they may be held at any angle, either in front, rear, or above the carriage, as is more fully hereinafter set forth; and also to provide the rear axle with a pivot at its center, whereon it may have a limited movement in a vertical plane, to enable all the wheels to rest upon an uneven surface; and also to provide the said carriage with a seat which may be converted into a bed whereon the infant may recline.

That others may fully understand my invention, I will particularly describe it.

A is the body of the carriage, constructed in any desired style. The handle or bail B is pivoted at O to each side of the body A, at such points as may be convenient to enable the handles to be adjusted either toward the front or rear, as it may be desired, to propel the carriage front or back foremost, as shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 1. The pivotjoints atG may be constructed of friction plates D E, provided with one or more concentric grooves, d, and corresponding ribs 0, with a clamping-screw, F, through the center, one of said plates being attached to each end of the handle, and the others attached rigidly to the sides of the carriage.

The plates D E may hold the handles in position by friction alone, but I think it preferable to make notches or serrations f along the surface of one of the projecting ribs 6, as shown in Fig. 3, and place one or more corresponding stops, 9, within the groove (1. The clamp-screw F will not then require the application of so much power to set and hold the handles in position as would be required if there were no stops. By these means the position of the handles and their adjustment to the height proper for the person propelling the carriage may thereby be effected even by a child, which could not be done were the plates D E friction-plates only.

The springs S under the rear of the body A are attached to a bolster, T, instead of being attached directly to the axle, as heretofore, and the rear axle U is jointed at its center to said bolster, so that said axle and the rear wheels may have a limited vibratory movement in respect, to the body A, to compensate any inequalities of the surface upon which the carriage may be resting.

This method of attaching the rear axle renders the use of the carriage much more agreeable to the occupant, and also to the person propelling it, as it is thereby relieved in a great measure from the numerous sudden jars and jolts incident to the passage of the carriage over slight inequalities of the road or small obstructions thereon.

I am aware that the front axles of carriages have been constructed so as to possess a similar self adjustment, but a movement of the front axle is incapable of producing results similar to those above described, because, first, the body of the occupant does not rest above the front axle, and therefore does not sensibly feel the effects of jolts affecting only the front wheels; and, secondly, the handles are attached to the carriage near the rear axle, and as these handles are levers from two to three feet in length, it follows that a small jolt of the rear wheels is many times magnified at the hand of the person propelling the carriage.

The seat V is made with a hinged front flap, t, which supports its front edge when in position, and short cleats r, to support its rear edge. \Vhen it is desired that the child shall recline the seat V may be drawn slightly forward so that it may drop upon the carriage bottom, as shown in Fig. 5 by dotted lines.

In Fig. 7 is represented a modified construction of the joint, whereby the screw F is caused ST WENT FFIGEA to clamp the plate D to the side A of the carriage body, instead of clamping said plate only to the plate E, and depending upon other means to secure said plate to the carriagebody. In this method the female screw is not a part of plate E, but a part of plate W, which is laid upon the inside of the side board A. The. stud X may be cast square at its outer end, and the hole through plate E fitted thereto, so that they cannot rotate one upon the other.

The operation is obvious, and does not require further description.

' Having described my invention,- what I claim as new is- 1. In combination with the carriage-body A, the blocks D E having concentric grooves e and corresponding ribs (1, and the bail-handles B, adjusted by the thumb-screws F, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In combination with the carriage-body A, the blocks D E having concentric groox'es' 4. The seat V, constructed with the front' flap hinged thereto d combined with cleats r, as set forth, so that said seat may be converted into a bed, in the manner described. CHARLES H. AMIDON.

Witnesses:

R. D. 0. SMITH, GEO. BABTLE. 

